From the Desk of Dr. Len

How to Make Fasting a Better Experience

Dr. Len Lopez - Monday, January 22, 2018

In biblical times, people fasted to draw closer to God. I don’t believe it was done for health reasons. But remember, in King David’s time, we were more prone to infections disease as opposed to all the chronic, degenerative diseases that plague us today, due to our dietary choices. So if you are looking to start a fast, remember we are all starting from a different starting point, with regards to our health.

What’s great about a Fast is that it Stop You from Eating All those foods that may not be very nutritious for you. But more than anything, it Stops you from continually inflaming and irritating your digestive system. What do you think all that bloating, gas, indigestion, heartburn and other bowel problems are telling you? Your Digestive System could be the root to your health issues.

Fyi….getting healthy is like getting out of debt. Cut your spending and increase your income. Swallowing more pills could help, but you have to also Stop Eating Foods that are Not Very Beneficial or Destructive.

So, what’s great about a fast is that you stop irritating your system, which is HUGE! It’s like cutting up your credit cards so you don’t take on more debt.

Another problem for some are that their body is so out of balance, especially their blood sugar, not to mention their hormones. So going without eating is very challenging – I’m not talking about will power.

When your blood sugar drops, especially because you’ve eating too many processed, packaged foods and or drink too many sugary drinks - it triggers a cascade of other hormones to take-up the slack. The proverbial robbing Peter to pay Paul! This is one of the primary causes of all the chemical and hormonal imbalances we struggle with today. Add lack of sleep, working to all hours of the night, lack of exercise and you can really fill in the puzzle pieces.

Anyway, this is how the body is designed. It has all these fail-safe systems to help rebalance some of our temporary shortcomings. Genius, Right!

Let me also mention that all those nutrients in our daily diet are needed to detoxify and eliminate all the by-products and toxins we generate daily. Without those nutrients those toxins build-up and stay within. This is one reason why some people don’t feel so good on cleanses and fast. Their filtration (elimination) system is hampered.

The point I am trying to make is that back in biblical times, there was not all the chronic, degenerative health problems we have today. Yes, we are still prey to the big 3 - Money, Lust and Power. But as far as health goes. If you are attempting a fast and you do have some health challenges here are a couple of things to help you.

-Squeeze the juice out of a whole lemon, lime, or orange into your water. This provides some needed glucose that your body may desperately be wanting.

-Add 1-2 herbal Green Drinks to your daily regime. This ensures your body will have the necessary nutrients to detoxify and eliminate those daily toxins.

If you can do it all with water, fantastic. But everyone is starting from a different health-starting point and you may need to make some modifications to your fast to minimize any hardship. I hope that’s helpful, remember it’s not just food that pulls us away from spending time developing our spiritual muscles. We might also need to fast from our Smartphones, televisions, social media, work, etcetera.

Health Quizzes

Is stress throwing off your metabolism and causing fatigue, weight gain, cravings, hormonal imbalances, etc. Your body can ONLY handle so much stress! Check to see if your problems could be a result of too much stress.

If your digestive system is not functioning properly, how do you expect to nourish and strengthen your body. All that irritation and inflammation is a further stress on your adrenal glands. Check to see if you are absorbing the nutrients in your diet and supplements.

Do you accumulate or eliminate toxins? Internal pollution, due to constipation, diarrhea, a sluggish liver and lymphatic system causes a build-up of toxins that can have a huge negative impact on your health. Test to see if your elimination system is part of your problem.

Has your metabolism shifted? Are you burning fats or carbs and lean muscle? Are you staying in your ‘fat-burning’ zone 24/7? You can never get the weight off or overcome fatigue if you’re constantly burning carbs and lean muscle!